Disney Explains The Thinking Behind The Divisive MANDALORIAN & GROGU Super Bowl Spot
When The Mandalorian & Grogu TV spot popped up during the Super Bowl 2026, a lot of fans did a double take. Not because Star Wars showed up during the Big Game, that part was expected.
What caught everyone off guard was how it showed up. Instead of epic shots, sweeping action, or a clear sense of story, Lucasfilm rolled out a 30 second parody styled after classic Budweiser Clydesdale commercials. Snow. A slow pull. Din Djarin and Grogu being dragged across a frozen planet by tauntauns.
Directed by Jon Favreau, the spot leaned hard into nostalgia and humor. The reaction was fast and messy. Confusion was the dominant vibe. This is the first Star Wars movie hitting theaters since 2019, and expectations were high.
For many viewers, the teaser didn’t feel like a theatrical event at all. It felt like a novelty gag that raised more questions than excitement.
As strange as the choice felt, it wasn’t random. Lucasfilm’s marketing brand lead Ryan Stankevich explained that the creative goal was to tap into familiar Super Bowl energy while keeping things unmistakably Star Wars. He said:
“Our creative and marketing team landed on a unique concept that gave a nod to classic Big Game spots of years past. It captured the warmth, humor, and emotional connection between these two beloved characters and was the perfect next step for our campaign as we lead up to their big screen debut this summer.”
From a branding perspective, the logic makes sense. Super Bowl ads cost a fortune, and the audience is massive. More than 100 million people are watching, many of whom won’t follow Star Wars news online and might not even know this movie exists.
Disney’s executive VP of creative marketing Jackson George leaned into that idea and made it clear why Grogu was front and center. He said:
“Grogu is more than a character; he’s a pop culture phenomenon. Riding alongside the heroic Mandalorian, he brings lightness, humor, joy, and an instant emotional connection that transcends the moment.
“This Big Game spot celebrates how deeply we love and connect with these characters, reminds us of the fun, heart, and spectacle that defines Star Wars, and offers a bite-sized promise of the experience audiences will get when they see these two beloved icons on the big screen.”
The problem is that recognition doesn’t automatically equal excitement. The marketing road to this point has already been rocky.
The first trailer for The Mandalorian & Grogu didn’t land particularly well and did very little to justify why this story needed to be a movie instead of The Mandalorian Season 4. That distinction matters, especially when audiences are selective about what they show up for in theaters.
Because of that, the Super Bowl felt like a make or break moment. Instead of clarifying the movie’s identity, and giving fans something epic and exciting, the the spot leaned even further into silly humor.
It’s fun, sure, and I personally enjoyed it because I got wahat they were doing, but fun alone doesn’t sell a theatrical experience. There’s still no clear sense why this adventure demands to be seen on the big screen.
Season 3 of the series was a noticeable step down from the first two seasons, and right now the movie feels like an extension of that uncertainty. Fans want to see something with substance.
If that confusion exists among fans who are already invested, it’s likely even stronger for general audiences who just learned during the Super Bowl that a new Star Wars movie is coming. Seeing familiar characters is one thing. Feeling compelled to buy a ticket is another.
Where this could still work is with kids. Grogu remains incredibly popular with younger audiences, and family friendly theatrical releases are still surprisingly rare despite their proven box office success.
The Mandalorian & Grogu doesn’t face much competition in that lane, and the holiday weekend release helps. If the demand to see Mando and Grogu together on the big screen is strong enough with families, that might carry the film further than current fan discourse suggests.
Unless the marketing campaign sharpens its focus soon, that family appeal may end up being its strongest lifeline.
The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22nd, 2026.
Source: Variety